Golf club rack



w. FARGO GOLF CLUB RACK Filed Jan. 24, 1958 2 Sheezts-Sheet 1 W. FARGO GOLF' CLUB RACK Dec. 9, 1958 Filed Jan.r 24, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 We//S BY y//MM/m@ 23M m- INVENTOR. @WQ

United States This invention relates to a rack for golf clubs, designed to replace the conventional golf bag.

Summarized briey, the invention includes a plurality of vertically spaced plate-like assemblies, the lowermost of which is designed to provide a bottom support for a plurality of golf clubs, with the uppermost plate being apertured to receive the shanks of the clubs. Brace means, that serves also as a guide means, is provided between the uppermost and lowerrnost plates, and connecting the severa-l plates is a plurality of longitudinally extending rods and a back bar or support bracket. The rack is particularly designed to be supported upon a wholly conventional golf club or so-called caddy cart, as a direct replacement for the bag that is usually supported upon the cart` Further, the rack constituting the present invention can be carried by means of a carrying strap, in the same manner as a golf bag, and in addition is equipped with means to hold an umbrella, golf balls, etc.

Among important objects of the invention are the following:

To provide a golf club rack which will be extremely light, and yet durable;

To provide for maximum club-carrying capacity in relation to the overall cross sectional area of the device;

To keep the clubs separated to the extent found desirable;

To provide maximum strength and ruggedness in the rack while achieving lightness and low manufacturing cost;

To so relate the planes of the uppermost and lowermost plates as to particularly accommodate the device for supporting golf clubs varying in respect to their overall` length;

To provide an improved combination bracing and partitioning means in the device; and

To provide a particularly novelly formed back bar that Will be designed, though fashioned from a single piece of material, to brace the device both in longitudinal and transverse directions.

Other objects will appear from the following description, the claims appended thereto, and from the annexed drawing, in which like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a golf club rack according to the present invention, an umbrella and a pair of golf balls being shown in dotted lines;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view on line 2 -2 in which a golf club is shown in dotted lines;

Figure 3 is an enlarged top plan view;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view on the same scale as Figure 3, taken substantially on line 4-4 of Figure l; j

Figure 5 is a fragmentary, enlarged elevational view of the back bar per se; and

Figure 6 is a reduced elevational view of .a caddy cart, showing the device mounted thereon.

Referring to the drawing in detail, designated at 10 is a horizontal bottom plate integrally formed with a front atent O A, 2,863,483 Patented Dec. 9, 1958 ice wall 12 of shallow V shape, side Walls 13, and a back wall 14.

An elongated back bar 16 formed of a suitably rigid, single piece of material (see Figure 5) is connected at its lower end to back wall 14 (Figure 2) through the provision of a rivet 18 extending through opening 19 (Figure 5) of back bar 16. Formed in the back bar (Figure 5) is a lower, short longitudinal slot 20 and an upper, similarly formed slot 22, the purposes of which will presently appear. An upper rivet 24 extends through an opening 25 formed in the upper end portion of the back bar, the rivets 18, 24 terminating in eyes adapted to receive snap fasteners 26 provided at the opposite ends of an elongated carrying strap 28 having a buckle 30 intermediate its ends to provide for length adjustment. Strap 2S can be readily removed entirely from the device, but can be applied thereto whenever it is desired to carry the golf club rack of the invention in a manner similar to that in which a golf bag is carried by the golfer himself or by a caddy.

A top plate 32 has a flat body portion formed with relatively large, closelyyspaced openings 34 (Figures 1 and 3). Plate 32 is disposed in a plane inclined slightly in respect to the plane of the bottom plate 10, the plate 32 declining from the back bar in a direction forwardly from the back bar, so that the distance between the plates 10, 32 is progressively reduced in a direction forwardly from the back bar. This is for the purpose of permitting the clubs of shorter lengths to be supported in the forwardly disposed apertures, while clubs of greater lengths, such as the woods, may be supported in the rearmost row of apertures.

In any event, plate 32 is integrally formed with a depending, continuous peripheral flange 36, said flange 36 being formed at its front, medially between opposite sides of the plate v32 (see Figure l), with an approximately semi-circular, forwardly projecting extension 38.

Intermediate the top and bottom plates 32, 10, but closer to the top plate, there is provided a brace band 40, the configuration of which is substantially a duplicate of the conguration of the upwardly projecting wall of the bottom plate 10. As a result, the band 40 (see Figure 4) has a shallowly V-shaped front wall 41, parallel side walls 42, and a straight back wall 44, perpendicular to the side walls 42. The several walls are vertically aligned with corresponding Walls of the top and bottom plates, as best shown in Figure 2.

, Referring to Figure 4, extending between the front wall 41 and back wall 44 are transversely spaced, parallel, combination guide and brace bars 48. The bars 48, as will be best seen from Figure 3, define between them a relatively narrow space extending fully from front to back of the device, and a plurality of the apertures 34 are aligned directly with said space. Therefore, clubs the shafts of which extend through the middle row of apertures 34 will be confined between the combined guiding .and bracing partitions or bars 48. The bars 48 in effect define three side-by-side compartments, each of which is adapted to receive a plurality of clubs.

To provide for a suitably strong framing of the device, there is utilized not only the back bar 16, but also side brace rods 50 and a front brace rod S2. Front brace rod 52 is disposed in contact with and is xedly secured to the apex portions of the front walls 12, 41 of the bottom plate 10 and reinforcing band 40. At its upper end, rod 52 is fixedly secured to the front wall of the top plate 32, within the semicircular projection 38. The side brace rods 50 are similarly fixedly secured to the side walls 42, and to the side walls of the top and bottom plates.

The back bar 16 provides not only longitudinal braces but also transverse braces. Thus, and referring particularly to Figure 5, intermediate its ends the back bar has a transversely disposed cross member 46 integrally formed thereon, said cross member being in face-to-face contact with the back wall 44 (see Figure 4) of thereinforcing'band 40. The back wall 44 and'cross member 46 are iixedly secured to each other. I

Back bar 16 also has a top cross member '54, slomewhat shorter in length than the member 2F16, 'and this 'is in face-toface Contact with and is lixedly secured to the back wall of the top plate. A lower cross `member 56 is similarly secured to back wall 14.

Umbrella support brackets are provided in the de vice, and these include an upper bracket 58 having a circular portio-n formed with a large center opening receiving an umbrella U. A bottom umbrella support bracket 60 is provided with a small center opening 6l adapted to receive the shaft of the umbrella. The brackets are ixedly secured to the band 40 and to the bottom plate, respectively.

The invention also includes upwardly opening, U- shaped, springable ball supp-ort clips 62 secured to the opposite side portions of the plate 32, and adapted to releasablygrip golf balls B.

Referring now to Figure 6, designated generally at 63 is a caddy cart of conventional design, including the support ledge 64 formed upon the lower end of an approximately J-shaped frame 66 on which are mounted wheel assemblies 68. The rack is supported directly upon the ledge 64, and connecting bolts or equivalent fasteners 70 are extended through slots 20, 22, into forwardly projecting brackets 72 of the caddy cart.

It is thus seen that the device can be a full replacement fora golf bag, and has many advantages not present in a golf bag. The device is light, and yet rigidly constituted and rugged. The device can of course be made of various materials, such as light metal alloys, plastic, etc. Still further, the device can replace a golf bag on va caddy cart, without requiring any modiiication or redesign of said caddy cart. Then too, the device can'be used as a golf bag, and will hold the clubs secure- 1y in place, while still permitting ready access to all the clubs. Even further, the rack constituting the present invention has the desirable characteristic of being adapted to receive a carrying strap 28, so that it can be slung over the shoulder like a conventional golf bag. A further impor-tant characteristic of the invention resides in the fact that the golf clubs are maintained fully separated at their head ends, and in addition, intermediate their ends pass through separate, side-by-side compartments to further aid in the separation of adjacent clubs.

It is believed apparent that the invention is not necessarily confined to the specific use or uses thereof described above, since it may be utilized for any purpose to which it may be suited. Nor is the invention to be necessarily limited to the specific 'construction illustrated and described, since such construction is only intended to be illustrative of the principles, it being considered that the invention comprehends any minor change in construction that may be permitted within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is: j

l.' A golf club rack comprising a bottom plate, a top plate having a plurality of openings adapted to receive the shafts of golf clubs supported upon the bottom plate; and a plurality of longitudinally extending members fixedly connected between the respective plates, one of said members comprising a back bar, the other members being disposed at the sides and front of the respective plates, said top and bottom plates having peripheral walls extending toward one another, the top plate declining in a direction forwardly from the back bar, so

Vas to progressively decrease the distance between the plates in said direction for accommodating shafts of different lengths, said back bar having cross members integrally formed thereon, one of which is secured to the i top plate and the other of which is secured to the bottom plate.

2. A golf club rack comprising a bottom plate, a top plate having a plurality of openings adapted to receive the shafts of golf clubs supported upon the bott-om plate; a plurality of longitudinally extending members fixedly connected between the respective plates, one of said members comprising a back bar, the other members being disposed at the sides and front of the respective plates, said top and bottom plates having peripheral walls extending toward one another, the top plate declining in a direction forwardly from the back bar, so as to progressively decrease the distance between the plates in said direction for accommodating shafts of different lengths; and an intermediate reinforcing band disposed between the respective plates and secured to said back bar and rods, said back bar including a plurality of cross members integrally `formed thereon spaced longitudinally of the back bar, one cross member being secured to the top plate, a second cross member being secured to the reinforcing band, and a third cross member being secured to the bottom plate.

3. A golf club'rack comprising a bottom plate, a top plate having a plurality of openings adapted to receive the shafts of golf clubs supported upon the bottom plate; a plurality of longitudinally extending members xedly connected between the respective plates, one of said members comprising a back bar, the other members being disposed at the sides and front of the respective plates, said top and bottom plates having peripheral walls extending toward one another, the top plate declining in a Adirection forwardly from the back bar, so as to progressively decrease the distance between the plates in said direction for accommodating shafts of different lengths; an intermediate reinforcing band disposed between the respective plates and secured to said back bar and rods, said back bar including a plurality of cross members integrally formed thereon spaced longitudinally of the back bar, one cross member being secured to the top plate, a seco-nd cross member being secured to the reinforcing band, and a third cross member being secured to the bottom plate; and a carrying strap detachably connectable lto opposite ends of the cross bar.

4. A golf club rack comprising a bottom plate, a top plate having a plurality of openings adapted to receive `the shafts of golf clubs supported upon the bottom plate;

a plurality of longitudinally extending members fixedly connected between the respective plates, one of said members Comprising a back bar, the other members being disposed at the sides and front of the respective plates, said top and bottom plates having peripheral walls extending toward one another, the top plate declining in a direction forwardly from the back bar, so as to progressively decrease the distance between the plates in said direction for accommodating shafts of dierent lengths; an intermediate reinforcing band disposed between the respective plates and secured to said back bar and rods, said back bar including a plurality of cross members integrally formed thereon spaced longitudinally of the back bar, one cross member being secured to the top plate, a second cross member being secured to the reinforcing band, and a third cross member being secured tothe bottom plate;

Vand a plurality of ball support clips connected to and projecting upwardly from the top plate.

5. A go-lf club rack comprising a bottom plate, a top plate having a plurality of openings adapted to receive the shafts of golf clubs supported upon the bottom plate; a plurality of longitudinally extending members fixedly connected between the respective plates, one of said members comprising a back bar, the other members being disposed at the sides and fro-nt ofthe respective plates, said top and bottom plates having peripheral walls extending toward one another, the top plate declining in a direction forwardly from the back bar, so as to progressively decrease the distance between the plates in said 5 direction for accommodating shafts of different lengths; an intermediate reinforcing band disposed between the respective plates and secured to said back bar and rods, said back bar including a plurality of cross members integrally formed thereon spaced longitudinally of the back bar, one cross member being secured to the top plate, a second cross 'member being secured to the reinforcing band, and a third cross member being secured to the bottom plate; and a plurality of laterally projecting, vertically spaced umbrella support brackets carried by the reinforcing band and bottom plate respectively.

6. A golf club rack comprising a bottom plate, a top plate having a plurality of openings adapted to receive the shafts of golf clubs supported upon the bottom plate; a plurality of longitudinally extending members xedly connected between `the respective plates, one of said members comprising a back bar, the other members being disposed at the sides and front of the respective plates, said top and bottom plates having peripheral walls eX- tending toward one another, the top plate declining in a direction forwardly from the back bar, so as to progressively decrease the distance between the plates in said direction for accommodating shafts of different lengths;

. d l an intermediate reinforcing band disposed between th respective plates and secured to said back bar and rods, said back bar including a plurality of cross members integrally formed thereon spaced longitudinally of the back bar, one cross member being secured to the top plate, a second cross member being secured tothe reinforcing band, and a third cross member being secured to the bottom plate; and a plurality of partitions con nected between opposite walls of the reinforcing band to brace the same and divide the same into separate, sideby-side compartments each of which is adapted to receive a plurality of golf clubs.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNlTED STATES PATENTS 1,696,062 Thurlow et al. Dec. 18, 1928 1,951,492 Schneider Mar. 20, 1934 2,024,484 Smith Dec. 17, 1935 2,368,752 Duis Feb. 6, 1945 2,482,372 Rossow Sept. 20, 1949 2,538,374 May Ian. 16, 1951 2,590,154 Burns Mar. 25, 1952 

